Amadea: From Laser-Cut Ornaments to a €150 Million European Decor Giant

Amadea, a Czech manufacturer of wooden decorations and gifts, has quietly grown into a European powerhouse, boasting over 70,000 products and annual sales of approximately €150 million.¹ Founded in 2002, the company’s journey began in a basement with a single laser cutting machine and has evolved into a multi-factory operation employing skilled craftspeople and leveraging advanced technology.

Humble Beginnings and a Laser-Focused Vision

Martin Portych and a friend initially envisioned a career in advertising. However, a visit to a technology trade fair in Nuremberg sparked a new direction: laser engraving and cutting of wood.¹ They imported one of the first laser machines into the Czech Republic and began experimenting in a basement workshop. “We bought it quite wildly. We didn’t have service guaranteed, so we had to learn it ourselves,” Portych recalled.¹ Early efforts focused on small wooden ornaments, quickly establishing Amadea as a pioneer in the industrial application of laser technology for wood decoration in Europe.¹

Expansion and Diversification

From those initial ornaments, Amadea’s product line expanded dramatically. Today, the company offers a vast catalog encompassing decorations, gifts, home and fashion accessories, kitchenware, garden items (including wooden planters), and its signature product: wooden nativity scenes.¹ The company adapted to changing consumer trends, adding wooden flower boxes to its offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic, a product line that remains popular.¹

Manufacturing and Production

Amadea operates three manufacturing facilities in the Czech Republic: in Lázně Bělohrad, Ostroměř, and Bílá Třemešná.¹ The acquisition of Krkonošské woodworks in Bílá Třemešná in 2024 allowed Amadea to control the entire production process, from sourcing logs from Czech forests to drying and processing the wood.¹ The Ostroměř plant focuses on processing solid wood, expanding the company’s product range beyond ornaments and decorations.¹

International Reach and Challenges

Amadea exports its products to numerous countries, including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Canada, and France.¹ The company experienced success in Russia, receiving orders from major companies like Gazprom and Rosneft, but withdrew from the market due to escalating geopolitical tensions.¹ A significant order from Škoda Auto, facilitated by a German manager, led to an expansion of production capacity and the conclude of the company’s “cellar” era.¹

Competition and Regulatory Hurdles

Amadea faces competition from both smaller woodworking businesses and cheaper imports from China. The company has encountered counterfeit products sold by Chinese vendors at trade fairs.¹ More recently, the rise of marketplaces like Temu has impacted profitability, with Portych estimating a 10% decrease in profits due to increased competition.¹ The company is also preparing for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will require detailed documentation of wood origin, presenting a bureaucratic challenge.¹

Leadership

Martin Portych is the founder and current manager (Jednatel) of AMADEA s.r.o., having co-founded the company with Láďa Šádek in 2002.¹²